


Who's In Charge Here?

by onestepatatime



Series: Merchants, miners, tinkers, toymakers... [1]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-10-25 03:13:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10755570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onestepatatime/pseuds/onestepatatime
Summary: Bilbo unwillingly inherits Baggins Industries from his estranged father. He cannot sell the company until he has worked there as an ordinary entry level worker. Cue Thorin and third shift antics.Sappy epilogue is posted.Legal Disclaimer: All trademarks and copyrights are owned by their respective owners. I make no profit from this story.





	1. Chapter 1

“It is a generous offer, Bilbo.” Gandalf studied the young man staring out the window at the rain. The son of his favorite clients had said little since coming in for their first meeting as company owner and lawyer.

“I know.” Bilbo just settled further into the expensive leather couch of Gandalf’s well-appointed office. The view of the city was an expensive one that was wasted on this client.

“Tea?” Gandalf’s personal assistant, Dori, set down a silver tea serving set on the small table in front of the couch. The soothing aroma of the hot beverage being poured into fine bone china cups did little to calm the look on the young man’s face.

“I came here to talk to you about my first week as a worker in my own factory, Gandalf.” Bilbo finally turned around, tugging on his tailored suit as he ignored the tea in favor of glaring at his father’s, now his own, lawyer. “I have to report to you weekly for six months as executor of my father’s will. I did not come to discuss selling his company two months after he died.”

“You are the one who told me to find a way to take apart Bungo Baggins ‘ironclad will’ any way that I could.” Gandalf took his own tea with a quiet thanks. “I’m afraid that Preston International is merely the first of many offers to come. They must have heard of your rant on Twitter after learning of the details of Bungo’s will. Alistair Preston doesn’t care about decent mourning times if there is a good investment involved. Baggins Industries is still a profitable company with several valuable manufacturing patents to its name.”

“I only have one semester to go before I can graduate, Gandalf. I’ve worked nonstop since I was a college freshman to get this far. Now…” Bilbo stopped his usual rant. What was the use? Everyone close to the family knew that Bilbo’s love was with academia, not his estranged father.

Bilbo vaguely remembered being in a loving family with a wonderful mother always by his side and an adoring father always home in time for dinner and a chat about Bilbo’s day. That had all changed when Bilbo was six. His mother had been struck and killed by a drunk driver while they were walking to their favorite park. Bungo had dealt with the loss by immersing himself in work at his fledgling company that he had bought as a bankrupt welding shop the year before Bilbo was born. Bilbo himself lost both parents when he was shipped off to his maternal grandparents along with all of his mother’s personal possessions.

Gerald and Abigail Took were quite well to do, having built their own chain of clothing stores from the ground up with the help of their 12 children and extended family. Initially, Gerald had admired the young Bungo’s drive in business and in courting his daughter. Bungo’s answer to Gerald’s offer of investing in his company was to elope with his daughter with a vow to never take an unearned penny from anyone. Gerald had laughed at that story until the day his daughter died.

When Abigail opened their front door the day after the funeral to find moving boxes of Donna’s things and Gandalf holding the bewildered Bilbo’s little hand, well…things changed dramatically. Bilbo’s last name was informally changed to Took and he became baby brother to his youngest aunts and uncles. He was raised in a loving, if large and boisterous, family that filled his formative years with love and acceptance.

Though Bilbo was raised in a family of entrepreneurs, helping in his grandfather and uncles’ clothing shops after school, his real love was literature. Seeing this, Abigail had spared no expense in sending her grandson to fine schools. His high school was a century old learning center renowned for their work with classical literature. All was well until a check came in the mail the day after 18 year old Bilbo was accepted at the college of his choice. His dream was to be a professor of Shakespearian literature.

For years Bungo had been little more than Christmas and birthday cards signed by a secretary, along with a check for Bilbo’s care that Abigail always made into an origami crane and added to the ‘flock’ hanging from her kitchen window. Now Bungo had sent a check with instructions to have Bilbo installed at the business college of his choice, as he had enrolled Bilbo himself. The letter had been clear that Bilbo was to go by Baggins and not Took. Bungo clearly expected Bilbo just to come home after graduation and help run Baggins Industries before inheriting it himself, to the entire Took family’s amazement.

Bilbo had just donated this last check to the flock and penned a polite but firm letter to Bungo saying that he would not accept this unearned penny. He was quite satisfied with his own choice of university complete with several prestigious scholarships, thank you. Bungo shouldn’t be expecting him at Baggins Industries and he should sell it when he wanted to retire. There had been no reply to this first exchange until a few weeks ago.

Home for Christmas break, Bilbo had been filling out applications for his doctorate. At 22 he had graduated with honors for a double major bachelor’s degree in Literature and Marketing of all things. Now at 26, Bilbo Took was three classes and one semester away from graduating with a Master’s of Arts in Literature degree this coming spring. Gandalf’s appearance had ruined all of those plans, leading to Bilbo working second shift as a temporary seasonal worker on second shift in his father’s factory.

Bungo had died the week after Thanksgiving. He had been buried next to Donna in a small, private ceremony attended by few other than business associates and company employees. True to his wishes, Bilbo had not been informed until after the reading of the will. To Otho Baggins pleasant surprise, Bilbo’s until now unknown cousin had inherited Bungo’s estate and personal effects. To both of their ire, Bilbo had inherited Baggins Industries. To the ire of Otho’s wife, Lobelia, most the contents of Bungo’s bank accounts were now in Baggins Industries’ general funds account.

In their first correspondence since their first and only letter exchange, Bungo had left Bilbo a letter mentioning his not wanting to take an unearned penny. Very well, Baggins Industries wouldn’t simply be given to Bilbo. He would have to work at the company for six months before being able to sell it. He would have to earn the workers’ respect by becoming one of them. This meant entering the workforce as most of them did, as a seasonal worker. No one but Gandalf and the company president, Balin Fundinson, would know who Bilbo was.

“Do you want cream and sugar, Mr. Took?” Dori’s calm voice brought Bilbo back to the present. He took the offered cup of tea and turned back to watching the rain pour down.

“Preston’s offer is useless to me if you can’t find a way for me to sell the company now, Gandalf. I should accuse you of stalling for time.” Bilbo had been assured by the renowned lawyer that he would have a legal and tax nightmare if he refused to accept his unwanted inheritance. Bilbo had agreed to the terms of the will, if Gandalf sought a way to break said will. He might not be able to graduate this spring, but nothing would stop him from getting his degree in December. Bilbo already daydreamed of how the proceeds from the sale would pay for his PhD.

“You could sign today an agreement to sell to Preston precisely at six months. Alistair is willing to forward a portion of the selling price, in good faith.” Gandalf set his tea down to light a pipe, smoke curling around his beard.

“Don’t imply that you’ve already written up the agreement, Gandalf.” Bilbo snorted. “You were my father’s friend. You’ll stall for a week in having it worded ‘just right’. Be the lawyer that I’m paying and write up one if Alistair Preston is willing to double his offer today. If he splutters and stalls, flat out turn him down. Let’s see Baggins Industries go to someone as determined as its founder.”

“Consider it done.” Gandalf hid a small smile. Anyone would be a fool to underestimate Bilbo. Gerald had taken special pains in showing the boy how to successfully run a business. He knew that Bungo would never deny Donna’s son his birthright.

“Will there be anything else, sir?” Dori was looking at Gandalf, but Bilbo spoke up first.

“Yes. Move the A-6 switch assembly line employees from second to third shift. First shift has a steady permanent workforce, but I’m tired of hearing Allen, the line leader, gripe about no one wanting to work second. The second shift assembly floor supervisor, Vanessa, is going on early maternity leave and her fill-in doesn’t need the headache. Caswell has barely begun to learn the job. Let third shift deal with keeping temps willing to come back. Thorin has less people to supervise anyway.”

Gandalf was pleased to hear that Bilbo already knew the people of the supervisory structure; Balin had sent a promising report just today. Now he chocked as he considered Bilbo’s first true blunder as company owner.

“Thorin? Thorin Durinson is on third shift for a very good reason, several actually. He is tops in his field of molding operations, but he is by no means a people person. He prefers the solitude of his molding machines as he figures out engineering problems at night. Besides, the A-6 line is under Switch Assembly authority.”

“Thorin just got promoted to third shift line leader for the A-6 as well as Molding. It has been in production for two years, but there are still a multitude of problems with returns and scrap production.” Bilbo had made good use of his time of forced labor as he worked the line. Several veteran employees sporadically filled in on the line and were very vocal in their opinions on what the line’s problems were, as well as how to fix them.

“Even Bungo never managed to get Thorin to cooperate.” Gandalf didn’t miss the Took ruthless business tone reminiscent of Donna.

“No one forces Thorin Durinson to come in the door to work each day. He will make a professional decision to accept the new terms or leave through that door to find employment elsewhere. Tell Balin to have Human Resources write up the job description and be ready to post it immediately. I want the position filled by a competent and willing leader no later than next week.” If Bilbo was going to be forced to work at his father’s company, fine. He would make it _his_ company.

“Don’t say that I didn’t warn you.” Gandalf raised his eyebrows meaningfully, but reached for his phone to call Balin.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin gets some bad news. Bilbo's back in town.

“I’ve been _what_?” Thorin roared even as he rubbed sand from his eyes. He had just drifted off to sleep at 10 a.m. when Ori Rison, the young head of HR, called him to come in to the office.

“It’s called promoted, Thorin.” Balin neatly stepped in before the pale Ori fainted. “It includes a $3 per hour pay raise, which I know you would appreciate.”

“Bungo and I had an agreement. I keep his Molding Dept. problem free and he keeps people away from me.” The arrangement had worked flawlessly for a decade. Thorin saved Bungo money by making most parts of their products in house. Thorin worked third shift away from others and was free during the day for his family.

“Bungo Baggin’s son inherited what is now his company and he wishes to make a few changes.” Balin wasn’t fazed by Thorin’s glare.

“Bungo spent decades streamlining this company’s structure.” Thorin had had many late night coffee sessions with the obsessive company owner.

“No matter what Balin says to placate you, Thorin, we have our instructions.” Ori wasn’t head of HR for nothing. “Here is your new job description. Either you accept the promotion or we walk you to the door and immediately post this job opening.”

“What?” Thorin read the description written as both his new duties and as a job advertisement.

“Allen Wilcox will come to third shift for a week starting tonight. He will show you what you need to know. The workers start tomorrow night. You’ll have Theresa from first shift for two weeks. She has experience on the sonic welder. Two workers from second shift will be transferring, as well as three new workers.” Balin knew that Thorin couldn’t not accept the new arrangement.

“Theresa Smith who hasn’t moved from her entry level position on the B-1 line in ten years? Five piddly temps. Wonderful.” Thorin just managed not to slam a fist on Ori’s desk. His antics weren’t tolerated outside of Balin’s office or his shift.

“Theresa is a skilled backup person for several positons. You’re lucky to have her, Thorin.” Ori tossed her file across the desk. “For some reason, she was actually eager to help you.”

“More like eager to see me drown.” Thorin turned to look out at the fresh downpour. He had forgotten his umbrella again and would get soaked as well as losing his main chunk of sleep time. The boys would be home from school soon enough. He might get another hour’s sleep if they didn’t need homework help before Ability Center’s bus brought Dis home at four. What time was Kili’s basketball game tonight anyway? Or was it tomorrow?

“Thorin, do you accept the new terms or not?” Balin’s voice pulled Thorin back to the present. He couldn’t help a huge yawn.

“Fine. Three extra dollars an hour for six months before we’re all canned anyway sounds good.” Thorin shrugged. Everyone had been expecting Otho Baggins to sell out to an overseas conglomerate before the will was even read. No one had mentioned that old Bungo even had a son to leave his company to until his Twitter rant.

“I’ll not get you more temps if you talk that way in front of them.” Now Ori glared. He had been struggling for three months to find competent people willing to work second shift. Staffing agencies knew him well enough to send birthday cards to his kids.

“Whatever.” Thorin signed the promotion paperwork. He sigh and charged out into the rain to get to his car.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin meets his crew. Bilbo rebels against Bungo's ways yet again, which might be a good thing in this case.

Thorin stood with his arms crossed as he made no attempt to stop glaring at the six workers headed for his desk. None had looked promising as he sized them up. Three were nondescript new workers in their early twenties that could not stop yawning. The two from 2nd shift looked to be more familiar with the place and at least were not gawking at the molding machines as they yawned. Theresa from 1st shift had her trademark HUGE coffee mug from Fast Mart; at least she wasn’t yawning.

“Don’t look so foreboding when you haven’t even met your team yet.” Allen wasn’t thrilled to have to be on 3rd, or having to train Thorin. Was anyone happy about this arrangement? Nope. Just these last four nights, Allen my boy, and we’re back on 2nd shift, minus this headache assembly line.

“Welcome to the Molding Department. My name is Thorin and I’ll be your line leader. I’m also Technical Engineer for Molding, so I will most often be found here.” Thorin managed to unglue his arms from his chest long enough to motion to his cluttered desk with one hand.

“Nori is the Molding Department Material Handler.” Thorin now motioned to a middling tall red haired man with a ponytail and bound beard. Nori bowed with a huge grin. “You’ll be seeing him mixing up things for the machines, weighing up parts that they make, and riding around on the forklift.”

“Bofur and Bifur are our molding machine operators. No, you will not be near the machines.” Thorin saw one of the workers transferred from 2nd shift sigh in relief.

“Welcome.” Bofur bowed with an equally cheeky grin and a wave of his technically not allowed hat as he spoke in a thick Irish accent. “This is my cousin, Bifur. He’s the quiet sort, so just let him do his job and we’ll get along well.” Bifur merely growled at the group.

“Third doesn’t have permanently assigned mold change setup technicians, but Dori and Oin from 2nd sometimes stay over. If they are busy changing a mold, stay away!” Thorin let a growl slip into the last words. “I don’t need someone bashed in the head with a thousand pound mold on a crane because you want to know where the bathroom is. Clear?”

“Yes.” Everyone shifted around nervously, except Theresa, who nodded sagely.

“This is stupid.” Bilbo said under his breath. The last thing he needed was to be intimidated at 11 p.m. at night.

Bifur’s wild stare zeroed in on Bilbo as words in a language that sounded like Welsh? Or Gaelic? Bilbo wasn’t certain; he was more used to reading other languages versus listening to them.

“Why is this introduction to your new coworkers stupid, Mister…?” Thorin’s arms reglued themselves to his chest.

“Bill. Bill Took.” Bilbo glared right back at Thorin. “Allen already had us sit down for the safety and introductory meeting barely half an hour ago. This is wasting our time, that’s what is stupid.”

"“Allen.” Thorin hissed.

“Your crew now, Thorin. I’m here for technical support. Just get them to their work station.” Allen was not about to be in charge of this show.

“If only Molding runs on 3rd shift, why are we here?” Rick, the other worker transferred from 2nd shift, felt brave enough to speak up, just to complain of course. “Our line ran fine on 2nd. Why move us to this ungodly hour? We don’t even get paid more!”

It was always the money, wasn’t it? Thorin refused to be consoled by the idea of getting $3 more per hour himself. The company was getting sold in a few months anyway. “You could go and make $7.50 an hour with no overtime at a burger joint, or $9.25 at Wally World. You are being paid $11 per hour, plus $.50 shift differential to be here, with the promise of overtime on weekends. As to the why? That’s simple: The new company owner wants it this way, so here we are. Any more idiotic questions?”

“No.” Two or three gave a halfhearted answer.

“Then let’s get to work.” Thorin dismissed Nori, Bofur, and Bifur back to their jobs as he led the group over to the switch assembly area. “Theresa, get Bill and Rick set up. Allen, help me get these three new guys settled.”

“Not a problem!” Theresa was way too cheery as she set her mug down and started rattling off instructions to her victims.

“Ask their names, Thorin.” Allen whispered. “You want to keep workers, remember?”

“After I see how well they work.” Thorin hissed. He wasn’t here to coddle anyone.

\----

“How are things going here, Thorin?” Balin stood watching the line as each worker made their own addition to the switch. He had come for an unexpected midnight assessment on the last night of Thorin’s first week as line leader.

“Just fine.” Thorin and Bofur were seated on the line. “I need to get the trial run of the new material for the A-25 switch set up for 1st shift, but one worker never showed up and another just walked out.”

“You were called into Ori’s office on Monday. Monday night Allen helped you set up. So you’ve had Tuesday, Wed, and tonight to get your line situated. What’s the problem?”

“Because of the short work week, we were scheduled for short notice mandatory overtime tomorrow night. No one except Theresa liked that idea, Balin. I’m losing workers because of things beyond my control.” Thorin growled as the sonic welder screeched; he had put the part in backwards again. “Now Bofur’s line is a shift behind and I’ve not even started on my work that I need to do.”

Balin looked over the group. Bilbo was looking rather angrily at him. It was clear that he would not show up Friday night. He tossed his head minutely at Thorin and gazed at Balin expectantly.

“I’ll authorize overtime for you and Bofur tomorrow night in Molding. No overtime for this line this week.” Balin wasn’t happy about missing three customer delivery deadlines that this would create, but at least he didn’t have to face Bungo’s wrath for the late deliveries. Perhaps having Bilbo here was a good thing after all. It might just be time to concentrate less on customers and a bit more on employees.

“Fair enough.” Thorin let out a growl and grabbed another switch.

\----

“Good morning, Bilbo.” Gandalf smiled as his yawning client sat and helped himself to the coffee already set out on a table by Bilbo’s chair. “I’m quite excited to hear about your second week at work.”

“Third shift sucks rocks.” A blurry eyed glare met Gandalf’s cheery face. “I should be in bed at 8 a.m., not here.”

“Is your plan of retaining workers effective?” Gandalf ignored the comment.

“It would be if we didn’t have blasted mandatory last minute overtime. Really? What crap!” Bilbo had plans, thank you.

“Balin informed me of the three orders that will miss customer deadlines.” Gandalf began and let the words hang in the air.

“Then have someone reorganize the scheduling to something more realistic. Or have Marketing stop making such absurd timeliness promises to customers. I’m not going to be stuck spending half of my time training new people every day on the same crap. Not to mention that Thorin is stuck RIGHT NEXT TO ME when people quit. He’s a micro manager. I do NOT need to hear his comments about my work for the next 5 ½ months, Gandalf!”

“Anything else while you’re at it?” Gandalf’s smile was somehow even more cheery now.

“Give everyone a survey of the company. I want ideas from everyone. If last minute mandatory overtime is just one problem that my father thought was the proper way to treat people, I shudder at thinking about what hasn’t come to light yet.” Bilbo’s face was determined. “Get those surveys out Sunday night to 3rd shift, with no exceptions on filling them out.”

“Very well.” Gandalf nodded his head in ascent as he reached for the phone to call Balin. Things were turning out better than he had hoped.

\----

“An employee survey, at Baggins Industries?” Ori nearly fell off his chair as Balin surveyed him. “Old Bungo never let others get in the way of his way of running the company, ever.”

“I assume that you were educated in the ways to handle a survey in college, Ori.” Balin hid his smile at Ori’s eagerness behind raised eyebrows.

“Of course. I mean…yes. Right away.” Ori pulled his chair back up to his desk and turned to his computer. “Right away.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is based on real life, so let me know if its too boring, etc. I don't want to write about things that no one wants to read about.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bofur's chattiness leads to allegations of corporate espionage.

“How do you like it here?” Bofur dumped his lunch satchel on the table and sat in the chair next to Bilbo.

“It’s O.K.” Bilbo shrugged as he shoveled his microwave meal of pasta and chicken with an assortment of vegetables into his mouth.

He had been expecting Bofur’s appearance, as the cheery molding operator randomly sat with different people and started up conversations. It appeared to be a sincere attempt to get to know the new workers and make them feel welcome, if Bilbo hadn’t seen Thorin pull the hatted worker aside one night during Bilbo’s fourth week of indentured labor. Besides, Bilbo had heard that on 2nd shift they waited until the second week to talk to you, to make certain that you were the type to come back. Waiting until week six, when there were so few people on 3rd shift? It was clear that Bofur had a vested interest in making people feel welcome so that he wasn’t pulled from his Molding Department work station to put tiny springs in tiny switches.

“You should wear that I.D. properly.” Bofur eyed Bilbo’s employee badge emblazoned with a bright yellow square and the bold words Temporary Worker. Such a welcoming thing to wear, huh? Not! It was supposed to hang from a lanyard that was currently wrapped around it as it sat innocently by Bilbo’s elbow.

“The lanyard makes my neck muscles ache.” Bilbo shrugged. All of the permanent employees were seemingly obsessed with building security. There was even an official policy about not holding the entrance door open for others. If a badge didn’t work, someone would have to find Thorin and drag him to the door.

“HR has belt clips.” Bofur preferred the clip with the retracting line. He pulled his out and in several times for reference.

“I misplace my I.D. too easily without the lanyard.” Bilbo had seen Thorin deal with two temps so far with door issues. One had forgotten his badge; the other had a broken badge. Both had met with a very animated speech supposedly spoken, but really shouted, as Thorin let them in.

“What does that badge represent to you?” Bofur pulled out his homemade lunch items as he slurped up a juice box noisily. Bilbo paused; it wasn’t a question that other temps had been asked. He had generic story line ready, not philosophical thoughts.

“Money that I need to pay for my last semester of school.” Bilbo would stick to the basics. He was still fuming over losing his scholarship to have to come and work here.

“Oh, what’s your major?” Bofur cracked an apple in half with his teeth, seemingly genuinely interested.

“Marketing.” Bilbo shrugged. He didn’t like talking on his lunch break. He preferred to pretend to read the latest science fiction book that another temp had recommended.

“You seem more of the scholarly type versus a business man.” Bofur polished off his sandwich and turned to face Bilbo with a smile, clearly ready to chat for a good while longer.

“Why are you asking?” Bilbo knew that he had an unconscious and illogical grudge against people who had worked for Bungo. He couldn’t find it in himself to warm up to the likeable guy.

“Bifur thinks that you’re here for more reasons than that.”

“Bifur can think whatever he wants.” Bilbo was glad that the odd man never left Molding. “His stares are unnerving.”

“Forgive us. We’ve worked alone too long and forget our manners. I’ll mention it to him, though.” Bofur smiled yet again reassuringly. “Do keep in mind that our work is solitary with molding machines. They’re noisy, but not very good conversationalists. The hours give us plenty of time to think, and “wonder. Your line coming to 3rd shift is like getting cable when before you only had three local channels.”

“That’s not a cheery thought.” Bilbo could now relate to horror movie victims in a whole new way.

“How long are you staying then? Bofur wasn’t insulted and moved right along onto his next topic. “They hire from within here if you plan on going back to school part time.”

“I’m enrolled for the fall semester to graduate in December.” Bilbo gritted his teeth in a move reminiscent of Thorin. That thought didn’t help his patience at Bofur’s next question.

“Bifur’s been with the company since the beginning. He knew Mr. B’s missus. He says that you look quite a bit like her and wanted to know if you were related.” Now Bofur looked a bit sheepish as the real reason for this conversation came up.

“The Took family is quite large, spread over three states as it is, and then some.” Bilbo had not counted on working with someone who may have met him as a child. The only thing keeping him from storming off was remembering Bofur say that Bifur had sustained a head injury somewhere and lost a variety of memories from his lifetime.

“I didn’t say that the missus was a Took.” Bofur’s eyes were too keen now. He obviously had been expecting a more vague answer.

“My last name is Took.” Bilbo forced a shrug as he put his garbage into the meal container. He had officially changed his last name to Took the moment he turned 18.  “I assume that Bifur knows this lady’s maiden name. If it was Took, we could be related. Tooks have a strong family resemblance.”

“Aye, he might.” Bofur nodded thoughtfully before mock slapping the table with a silly smile. “Anyway, have you heard the latest from the rumor mill?”

“No one tells me anything.” Bilbo was popular to sit next to because he was content to listen to nearly any subject conversation for an entire shift without complaining.

“There’s word that Otho Baggins slipped a spy into the company, to see how things are going. Bifur thinks that Mr. B’s son is in on it and is using his family ties to…”

“I resent that!” Bilbo puffed up with anger. He and Gandalf had spent two days reading every single one of the electronic survey results and each had a handwritten reply. Bilbo might not want to own this company, but he wasn’t here the intentionally bring it to ruin!

“Sa…Sorry.” Bofur held up his hands as Bilbo got up.

“You should be. If this is some game to get me to quit, then it’s not working. A spy? Me? This is _not_ Mission Impossible, Bofur.”

“Is it Undercover Boss?” Bofur smiled innocently once again complete with head tilt.

\----

“If that idiot chats up one more temp, fire him!” Bilbo stormed into Gandalf’s office for their weekly meeting without the aid of caffeine for the first time. Took temper had its advantages.

“Bofur mentioned your unfortunate conversation to Thorin.” Gandalf merely poured himself a cup of coffee from the now standard tray of it.

“He’s a menace.” Bilbo spat as he stood and looked out the window.

“Bifur has been with the company since its founding. Bofur has been there since he dropped out of school fifteen years ago. You can hardly afford to lose them, Bilbo. He’s the chatty type and you won’t soon change a person’s personality.”

“Idle minds have wagging tongues. Change the job requirements for every position to include having a high school diploma or general equivalency degree. Find a company that comes in and gets people ready for the GED. Every employee must either attain such degree or be able to demonstrate their efforts at obtaining it within 90 days.” Bilbo watched a blimp fly over the office buildings advertising a lingerie company of all things.

“That is hardly fair. You can’t be spiteful, Bilbo.” Gandalf had come to expect one demand out of the blue each week, but this was beyond all reasonable expectation. “Some employees have disabilities or other issues.”

“Then hire one company that can teach anyone anything and another company that offers employee support for whatever is wrong with their lives. They may not accept it, Gandalf, but we will offer support.” Conversation over, Bilbo sat and stirred his coffee until Gandalf picked up the phone to call Balin.

\----

Otho Baggins sat on Gandalf’s couch holding a cup of tea. He was silently reading a letter from his formerly unheard of cousin. His wife, Lobelia, was doing all of the yelling for him, one of the reasons that he as a prudent businessman had married her.

“Corporate espionage? Really!?” Lobelia circled the office for the thousandth time as she continued ranting.

“Consider this official notice that Baggins Industries takes this threat seriously.” Balin sat primly with his own cup of something a wee bit stronger.

“What?” Otho nearly dumped his cup at his wife’s shrill shriek.

“Baggins Industries has retained the services of the Iron Hills Detective Agency.” Gandalf added helpfully with a bland smile. “Every employee past and present will be investigated. I do hope that there are no suspicious connections to your own business dealings. More tea?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dain jumps into the story; big surprise there. Thorin is actually a nice guy, leading to Bilbo and Thorin getting to know a bit about each other.

_“I’m being what?"_ Thorin had once again been dragged back to Baggins Industries for another ludicrous meeting. This time it was for all of upper management.

“This is merely a precaution, not any implication of guilt.” Balin was earning his wages today with his silver tongue. Pale Ori looked like he had updated his will just for the occasion.

“All past and present employees, permanent and seasonal, will be subject to a standard background check. This is regardless of prior checks when each of you was hired at Baggins Industries.” Thorin’s third cousin, Dain, of all people sat across from him at the conference table. He had already pulled Thorin aside and warned him that he wouldn’t personally be involved in the initial checks to avoid conflict of interest, but did Thorin have anything he wanted to mention up front?

“Why?” Vanessa from 2nd shift had come in despite being on early maternity leave.

“There’s been rumor talk of employees trying to make temporary workers quit. The spy rumor alone is not something that this company needs.” Balin had gone along with this farce only because he knew the damage that a rumor could do, and no one in their right mind disregarded anything involving Otho Baggins.

“This is all because of Bill Took, isn’t it?” Thorin remembered his conversation with Bofur. “Bofur apologized, even when the kid took what he said way out of context.”

“Mr. Baggins’ son was not pleased to hear that a decent worker was subject to any part of that conversation.” Balin tried once again. “He wishes to dispel any rumor or doubt concerning his involvement with this company. He also knows that rumor usually has a grain of truth to it, and the rumor involved his cousin.”

“Fair enough.” Thorin had been forced to spend several shifts explaining his department to Otho years ago. Bungo had been considering early retirement as his health failed. Then Otho had the bright idea of marrying Lobelia Sacksville, who obviously married him for the company that he would inherit. Then a thought occurred to Thorin.

“Will our new company owner have a background check as well? What are his motives?”

“Of course. He hired my agency specifically for our inclusive policies.” Dain seemed insulted.

The other department heads groused around for a bit, adding useless input here and there. Then Thorin could stand it no longer.

“Why is Bofur Beaman being singled out and punished?”

“What do you mean, Thorin?” Ori took his charge of company employees personally.

“This new high school diploma requirement is crap. You know Bofur’s story. He dropped out of school because he had to go to work.”

“A personal one on one tutor is being offered, Thorin.” Balin had loved this idea of employee improvement and support. Thorin would find no support here. “Confidential learning disability testing is available as well if needed.”

“It’s not necessary to run a molding machine.” Thorin all but bellowed.

“It is now.” Ori smiled as he broke the news. “Besides, have you asked Bofur if he is interested in the new college tuition program? He’ll need a GED to apply to a college.”

“What’s the matter, cousin?” Dain smirked. “Afraid that your worker is aspiring to steal your job from you?”

“Maybe.” Thorin huffed and sat back arms crossed yet again.

\----

Bilbo no longer had to worry about Bofur, or anyone else for that matter, bothering him at lunch. He was also moved to the end of the assembly line a distance from the other workers where he hand tested, date coded, and boxed each switch. It was clear that he was blamed for the background checks, and for hurting the rather popular Bofur’s feelings. He had also learned not to get within twenty feet of Bifur if he didn’t want growled at or shoved out of the way.

It was Bilbo’s 14th week of servitude, in his opinion, though Gandalf insisted on using the phrase internship. The batty lawyer was convinced that this job was exactly what Bilbo would need on his resume to be accepted for a doctoral program, as well as a sterling letter of recommendation from Balin that Bilbo wasn’t counting on at all.

Normally, Bilbo didn’t mind being ostracized. He reasoned that it would make it emotionally easier to sell the company when the time came, and it was coming. He was now a week past the halfway point of his six month, twenty-six week ‘internship’. Today was a rare exception to being happily ignored as he held his motorcycle helmet and stared out at the pouring rain. The weatherman had promised a full week of sunshine, not a monsoon. None of the other workers looked at him as they left, though Bifur chuckled as he passed and opened his own umbrella. Of all days to indulge in a bit of fun…

“Need a ride?” Thorin’s voice made Bilbo jump as he came up behind him and looked out at the rain. He zipped up his coat and waited expectantly. It was odd, since the line leader now rarely spoke more than two sentences a week to Bilbo.

“I’ll just call a cab.” Bilbo wouldn’t mention that he would have Ori call so Baggins Industries would foot the bill. It was tax deductible anyway.

“Where are you headed?” Thorin leaned on the door, clearly not leaving so easily.

“The corner of Elm and Maple, just past the Ability Center.” Bilbo looked at the floor as he put his phone away.

“If you don’t have to be anywhere in a hurry, I can drop you off along with my own brood.” Thorin actually looked pleased, as if Bilbo picked the perfect address to be taken to.

“You have kids?” Bilbo followed him out to an older minivan of all things. They got in rather wet, but not soaked. He took the front passenger seat and set his helmet on the floor.

“My sister and two nephews, Fili’s fifteen and Kili’s ten. Normally I just drop Kili off on rainy days, but everyone missed the bus today.” Thorin had been in a temper when Fili called.

Fili had a late night study session for a test and fell asleep without setting his alarm. This made Dis miss her bus, which in turn made Fili unable to catch his own bus. Kili himself refused to walk the two blocks to his middle school in any nasty weather.

“Your sister goes the  Ability Center?” Bilbo’s query lacked anything but genuine interest. “I’ve seen how patient you are with Bifur; it’s not a common skill for anyone to have.”

“A head on collision with a drunken idiot killed Dis’ husband instantly and left her with the intellect of a three year old. I have custody of her and the boys. It’s why I work 3rd shift. I used to have a home health aide stay the night until Fili turned fifteen. It doesn’t always work perfectly, but we manage.” Thorin didn’t know why he was being so candid. Perhaps his surprise at Bilbo’s compliment sweet talked him. Few appreciated being able to handle Dis on her bad days.

“You don’t get car sick, do you?” Thorin turned to look at Bilbo when he kept silent, and looked positively green. The one time he was a nice guy…

“N..N..No. I just need some breakfast and sleep.” Bilbo inhaled deeply and stretched in his seat.

“Don’t we all.” Thorin forced himself to relax. Dis was too good at reading and mirroring his moods. “Are you married, Bill? House, kids, all that jazz?”

“I’m just a college student saving up for his last semester.” Bilbo looked out of the window at a fallen tree being pulled off of the road. “My parents are dead and I was raised by my mom’s folks. My younger aunts and uncles were my older brothers and sisters in a way.”

“Why Marketing?” Thorin hummed away to a song on the radio.

Either Thorin had read Bilbo’s carefully crafted background check full of half-truths or Bofur was a blather mouth, probably both.

“My grandparents never just gave me things, and I wanted a motorcycle.” Now Bilbo couldn’t conceal a true smile. “Grandma appreciates creativity, so we made a deal. I was to create a new advertising campaign for their chain of stores and she would buy me a bike if sales increased by at least 30%.”

“Gerald Took was your grandfather?” Thorin looked surprised. The Took family stores were known by many, but the commercials from about 8 years prior had been downright unforgettable.

Gerald’s commercials, known for serious tones and professional models wearing three piece suits, had completely changed. The new look was a silly wizard named Gandalf riding around in an old boat of a midnight blue car complete with cattle horns on the hood and white lightning pinstripes down the sides of the car. Gandalf would stop passing pedestrians and with a wave of a dancing wand, changed their outfits from casual to formal. Dis and Fili loved those commercials and had memorized all four radio jingles.

“Did you notice the custom midnight blue paint job on my bike, complete with lightning pin stripes?” Bilbo now outright grinned. “Volunteering to be the dancing wand got me that as well.”

“Marketing. Huh.” Thorin nodded and accelerated at a red light turned green.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo roots out any remnants of Bungo's less than employee friendly policies and kicks them to the curb. Then fortune takes a turn for the worst. Truths and half truths are revealed.

“Why the long face, Bilbo?” Gandalf sat in the chair next to his couch, where Bilbo sat staring out at nothing in particular, though it was a beautiful day. “You only have four more meetings with me, and you’ve been reading several offers for a month now.”

“Bofur’s badge didn’t let him in two nights ago. Turns out he hasn’t made enough ‘progress’ for whoever is in charge of the GED program.” Bilbo normally came in a few minutes before 11 p.m. so he could easily avoid being avoided. The forlorn Bofur had been standing there with his hat in hand.

“Nowhere did I mention disciplinary action for this program, Gandalf. It was a mess. Thorin couldn’t believe the email that he was to suspend an exemplary employee for three days. Bifur almost quit on the spot!”

“I see.” Gandalf looked a bit puzzled. “Perhaps Bungo had policies that enhanced the program in unforeseen ways.”

“Not anymore.” Bilbo sat up and huffed victoriously. “Ori was all too happy to come in at 1 a.m. and fix the situation. By the way, both Bifur and Bofur got a raise. Ori also has the authorization now to comb through and amend every company policy immediately if needed and with Balin’s approval if it’s complicated. We have a new company policy regarding employee policies. I asked Balin to not ruin the surprise. I hope you don’t mind, Gandalf.”

“Not at all, my boy. Glad to hear it, actually. What demands do you have for me this week then if you’re now fixing things yourself?”

“I’m no longer just a college student, Gandalf.” Bilbo looked intently at his lawyer with what could only be described as a newfound maturity. “I have a company that employs people with families and responsibilities. I need to make a will.”

“You also have your Took trust fund, accessible when you are 30.” Gandalf seemed rather pleased. “Any requests?”

“Make it ten times more ironclad than my father’s will. Keep Otho Baggins out of my business. Dain found out about Otho’s lawsuit that you’ve been hiding from me. He wants to challenge Bungo’s will and inherit half of _my_ company. If I see him anywhere near the plant, I’ll deck him!”

“It’s frivolous, really. I didn’t want to distract you from getting to know your company, Bilbo.” Gandalf smiled weakly. “You pay me to keep distractions away, remember? And ?”

“Otho is claiming that he and Bungo had a verbal agreement to put Otho in as company president before inheriting it. He even has documentation to prove that he was brought in to learn the company ropes. That’s not frivolous in my book, Gandalf.”

“Then we will make the best will that we can, Bilbo.” Gandalf pulled out pen and paper and began writing the first of many notes.

\----

Thorin was on his way to picking up Kili from basketball practice when he was trapped in stopped traffic.

“Great.” Thorin somehow managed to text Kili that he would be late, but to wait for him. Then the people in line behind him honked even though they were going nowhere.

“What’s up?” Thorin peered ahead through the windshield as an ambulance maneuvered past him. It was almost twenty minutes before police began directing traffic away and down a side street. Thorin could only be happy to leave behind honking horns a hope that his nephew was still at practice.

Just as Kili jumped into his seat and began to rattle on about his day and practice, Kili’s phone rang.

“What? Oh, hi, Fili. Yeah, he’s right here. It’s Fili, Uncle.” Kili’s somewhat chocolate sticky phone ended up stuck to Thorin’s ear.

“What’s wrong, Fili? Did your mom get off the bus o.k.?” Thorin had to remind himself that Fili was a responsible kid and breathe slowly.

“Your phone is off, Uncle. You need to call Mr. Balin. He had to call here at home. Mom’s fine. She’s eating dinner and watching Gunsmoke reruns again.”

“I’ll call after we get home. I can’t go in to work with Kili, especially after all of these chocolate bars he’s sat here eating waiting for me. There was an accident and I picked him up a bit late. Must have turned off my phone after texting Kili.”

“Mr. Balin gave me his personal cell phone number. He really wants you to call him right away. Mom watched the accident on the television before I could get the remote out of her hands. A motorcycle was wiped out by someone turning left in front of them.”

Thorin felt his stomach drop, but continued on home. Kili needed some dinner.

\----

“What’s going on Caswell?” Thorin rang 2nd shift after settling Kili with dinner and washing the stickiness off of his hands and ear. It had to be a problem that the fill in supervisor had not covered with Vanessa. He hoped that it wouldn’t be a long night where he had to come in early. Dis got unreasonable when he wasn’t home to put her in bed at 10 p.m. on the dot.

“Nothing, why?” Caswell seemed surprised to get a call. “Oin managed to sweet talk tooling into repairing mold 45 a day early like you wanted. He assured me that it will be up and running when you come in.”

“Balin called. Haven’t called him back yet, but I wanted to see what was up first.” Thorin watched Dis hoot and holler as Marshal Dillion chased the villains on horseback. There was a pounding on the front door.

“Gotta go, Caswell.” Thorin was glad that they had listened to his suggestion of who to replace Vanessa with. That feeling quickly left when he opened the door.

“Dwalin?” Thorin went out with his cousin for a beer or a concert once in a rare while, but he wasn’t expecting him on a weeknight, complete with an overnight bag.

“Balin called me to stay with Dis and the boys tonight. He’s been trying to reach you for an hour. He’s at Mercy General Hospital. There’s a cab waiting; I already paid them.” Thorin’s coat was shoved into his hand and he was pushed out the door as the end credits of Gunsmoke played.

\----

Bewildered would be an understatement to describe Thorin’s mental state as he got out of the cab and reluctantly entered the emergency room. Balin sat in a chair across the room from Otho and Lobelia Baggins of all people.

“Oh, Thorin. Thank goodness that you’re here. The doctor needs to speak to you right away.” Balin actually hissed at Otho as he dragged Thorin bodily past to the nurse’s desk.

“Otho is Bilbo’s family, not some blue collar oaf.” Lobelia began.

“Shut up or you will be bodily removed from the premises.” Balin left Thorin and barked angrily in her face. “You are not his cousin, nor his guardian.” Thorin had never seen his cousin lose his temper and was quite impressed when the horrid woman sat down with wide eyes.

“I do have an engineering degree.” Thorin mildly protested as Balin rejoined him. “What’s going on, Balin? Dwalin showed up at my door and shoved me into a cab.”

“Thorin Durinson is here. The doctor is expecting him.” Balin, still red faced, gave the nurse a sweet smile.

“Third door down on the right.” The nurse smiled back. Too bad Balin’s smile left as he dragged Thorin into the room and shoved him into a chair.

“Otho Baggins was here before I was, claiming to be able to make medical decisions for poor Bilbo. It’s a good thing that Gandalf made him sign a medical power of attorney. That bastard who calls himself a cousin…” Balin wound down to a grumble and sat.

“Balin, why are you here?” Thorin’s still dazed mind decided to take things slowly.

“Bilbo’s family is six hours away, so when he moved here a few months ago, he listed me as his emergency contact when he got his driver’s license. The police called me just as I was leaving work. I’m sorry to have to drag you in, Thorin. I know that the last time we met this way was when Dis was in ICU, but I’m not the one Bilbo chose to make his medical decisions. You are.”

“Bilbo?” Now Thorin understood why he was in such a fog. He was reliving the nightmare from ten years ago. Avin was dead and the pregnant Dis needed emergency brain surgery. Thorin had had to sign the papers that authorized the surgery and allow for Kili to be born by an emergency cesarean nearly two months early. It had been an impossible decision for just one person, but their parents and his brother Frerin had passed as well.

“No. No.” Thorin recalled sweeping the tiny Fili up from his hospital bed, somehow surviving with only a broken arm. He had held his nephew as his shaking hand signed form after form. Then they had spent the night by the even tinier Kili’s incubator while Dis was in surgery.

“Gerald Took died two years ago. His wife is in a facility as she has dementia. Bungo’s parents died over ten years ago. Bilbo’s Took aunts and uncles can’t be here until morning. I talked to Isengrim Took and they will support any decision that you make, Thorin.” Balin handed Thorin a cup of water.

“Took. Bill Took is Bungo Baggins son.” Thorin couldn’t believe that he had been so blind. How often had he not noticed how much Bilbo was like Bungo when he hid among his molding machines? How?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo literally nearly gives Thorin a heart attack and everyone gets the chance to be Dr. Anderson's patient. For joy!

“Bilbo personally chose you as his line leader, sight unseen.” Balin’s support was the only thing keeping Thorin in his seat. His worried face was nose to nose with his cousin as he forced the cup back into Thorin’s shaking hands.

“He said that his parents were dead, that his mother’s family raised him.” Thorin tried to breathe slowly, tried to make sense out of his whirling thoughts.

“I knew Bungo Baggins when he was a newlywed buying a bankrupt company where I worked as a janitor. I knew him as an adoring husband and new father a year later when Bilbo was born. I knew him as a grieving widower who was almost suicidal. Bungo realized that he was in no condition emotionally to be a single parent of a 6 year old who had just seen his mother hit by a drunk driver.” Balin had tears streaming down his face.

“You knew the driven business owner, Thorin. I knew the broken man that was on a multitude of medicines and was hospitalized several times over the years. Bungo loved his son enough to let him be raised in a healthy family environment and not suffer from his own personal emotional hell.”

“Bungo never said.” Thorin clearly recalled Bilbo’s face when he mentioned the drunk who had crashed into his sister’s family car.

“Bungo knew that you were going through your own nightmare trying to hold your family together. He flat out told me to let you do what you wanted.” Balin tried and failed to smile. “He admired you for doing what he could not. In his letter to Bilbo after his death, he advised Bilbo to work for you. Bungo trusted you with his son, Thorin, and you’ve earned enough of Bilbo’s own trust to make decisions for him.”

“I see.” Thorin managed to say before slowly sipping the cool water. He didn’t see; nor did his thoughts form coherent patterns. Then his heart sank as the door opened and a man in scrubs came into the room.

“I’m Dr. Anderson. I’m the first one who saw Bilbo when he came here.” The doctor waited as Balin grabbed his own seat. “Are you Bilbo’s family?”

“His aunts and uncles will be here in a few hours.” Thorin managed. “How is he?”

“We were able to stabilize him and stop the bleeding, but..surgery in the morning…survives the night...”

“I see.” Thorin didn’t feel his hand crush the cup, sending water all over the table. He didn’t hear any more words, didn’t feel anything except the pen that signed any form that would save his boss’ dying son. When the organ donor representative came in, as part of protocol, he was assured, Thorin knew that he would have strangled the woman if he hadn’t passed out after standing to reach for her.

\----

For all of his emotional turmoil, Thorin felt quite calm when he woke on a hospital bed in an e.r bay. Otho Baggins of all people dozed in a chair by his bed.

“How do you feel?” The monitors soon had a nurse questioning Thorin and checking him from head to toe.

“Serene.” Thorin lay back. He was in a hospital bed wearing nothing but a gown and a pair of Hanes while a greedy sob sat by his bed. He hadn’t felt this relaxed in years. He studied his wrist band with interest. Huh. Dr. Anderson was his doctor. “What happened?”

“Hypertension.” The nurse looked at his chart. “The doctor will talk to you, but you’ll be prescribed appropriate medications and be directed to see your family physician.”

“I don’t have one.” Dis had her specialists and the boys had an awesome pediatrician.

“You’ll need to get one.” The nurse smiled and moved on to a patient whose alarms began screaming.

“Wha? Ouch.” Otho sat up with a jerk and rubbed his sore neck. “You’re awake.”

“You’re here. Why?” Thorin conveniently recalled an urge to strangle someone.

“Balin’s sitting with Bilbo, won’t let me near him in fact.”

“I wonder why.” Thorin was to the point.

“I sent Lobelia home and volunteered to sit with you, as Balin’s brother is not able to come.”

“I don’t like you.” ‘Why should Thorin be polite when he was stuck in a hospital bed?

“You didn’t deserve to wake up alone, and Balin felt bad. He signed your papers as your family, by the way.” How did I end up with decent fellows like Balin, Dwalin and Dain as cousins when Bilbo got this jerk? I’ll never understand life.

“I still don’t like you.”

“Do you know that I never even knew that I had a cousin until my uncle died?” Otho must really be trying, but trying to do what? Who cared? He was still a jerk.

“Lucky Bill to not know about you either. Win win situation.”

“I think that they are going to admit you.” Otho now squirmed under Thorin’s gaze.

“You can go home now.”

“I think that I’ll just…I’ll just wait in the waiting room.”

“Good idea.” Thorin fell back into his serene state and closed his eyes for a rest.

\----

Bilbo groaned when the bright light made him scrunch his eyes shut. He felt like a truck had run over him.

“Don’t you dare go back to sleep.” A familiar voice led to his eyes opening to a familiar grumpy gaze.

“What are you doing here? Where am I anyway?” Bilbo looked around, unable to process details as his vision swam.

“You didn’t show up at work last night.” Thorin once again glued his arms to his chest as he sat regally in a wheelchair of all things.

“Why are you half naked?” Bilbo could see more of Thorin’s legs and his chest hair peeking out of his hospital gown than he would ever want to see. He was also sporting a two day old beard and a crazy hairstyle of knotted bedhead.

“Didn’t have a robe.” Now Thorin turned beet red and quickly covered himself better with a blanket he had.

“I’m in the hospital. You’re in the hospital. O.K.” Bilbo could accept that.

“Your motorcycle was struck by a rather large SUV yesterday afternoon. You had surgery this morning. It is late afternoon and I’ve been admitted for heart and stress testing because of you. Good thing Balin and Dwalin don’t have something called a life. They’re looking after my brood.”

“O.K.” Bilbo felt strangely serene, if in some pain. Geez, Thorin looked strange when he was serene. It wasn’t a good look on him. Must be the drugs.

“You fractured your skull. You’re also a cyborg now with about two pounds of pins and rods in your legs. You’ll be doing more time at the physical therapy center than a university classroom this fall, I’m afraid, but you’ll live.” Thorin managed a smile at this last part. Bilbo might look pale and small swallowed up in tubes and bandages, but he also looked hale and quite happy to see Thorin.

“Sounds good to me.” Bilbo could use some down time.

“You’ll still need to come in to work. Otho was here all night, by the way.”

“I’ve never met him. Did you know that he’s trying to sue for half of my company? Really. The nerve.” Now Bilbo frowned and  crossed his own arms, though one wrist wore a cast.

“The nerve.” Thorin agreed with his own frown and crossed arms. “You do realize that I agreed to be your health care power of attorney and sign your treatment papers only if you kept the company?”

“I can live with that.” Now Bilbo began to laugh, his weak tenor joined by Thorin’s booming baritone. What a pair they made!

“The two of you will be the death of me.” Balin’s head popped in the doorway. “I brought a few visitors.”

Soon Kili was climbing all over Thorin wanting a ride. Fili stood by Balin smiling awkwardly. Dis sat on the bed next to Bilbo.

“Is this our cousin Bilbo, Thorin?” Dwalin had kept his explanations simple, referring to Bilbo as yet another of her cousins.

Thorin looked into Bilbo’s eyes. “Yes.”

“Pity.” Bilbo wheezed as Kili about pounced on him. “My Took cousins will invade this place any moment if I know them. You will never know peace ever again.”

“Bring it on.” Fili yelled over the noise as laughter filled the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy, sappy ending won.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not my best work and I'm not entirely happy with Bilbo's reveal, but it's sappy and happy like everyone wanted.

“I don’t like wearing a tie.” Thorin complained even as he straightened Bilbo’s own tie.

“You look very nice.” Bilbo had personally picked out Thorin’s suit. This was the night of Baggins Industries’ annual Christmas party. Employees and their families were treated to a formal dinner at a rented hall complete with buffet, DJ, dance floor, and an appearance by Santa. If even the kids knew that it was Dwalin in a ridiculous fake beard, no one minded, especially Thorin. Balin had threatened his job and his family jewels’ safety when they had tried to coerce him into the job. Dwalin happily did it if Ori volunteered to wear his elf helper outfit that his brother Dori had made when he was a teenager. Bilbo had found out that Ori had many embarrassing stories growing up, and believed every one after seeing the HR director tonight standing in an outlandish knitted red and yellow elf suit.

“Very handsome, you two.” Dis, in her lovely green velvet gown complete with her mother’s silver heart locket, looked in Bilbo’s room.

“It’s time to go. I get to sit with Lobelia, Bilbo. You promised.” Dis’ face held unwavering stubbornness. Meeting Lobelia at the hospital had been a most memorable experience for Thorin’s sister, though neither she nor Lobelia would say why.

“I did indeed.” Bilbo’s smile brightened considerably. Lobelia shied from everything not perfect and respectable, and she would be trapped an entire evening with Dis fawning over her. She would bolt her false smile to her face if she had to, now that Otho was officially a sort of/kind of company vice president. It wouldn’t do to be seen as unkind to the head engineer’s “special” sister. This was especially true now that Thorin had dragged Bilbo to live with him during his recovery and insisted on going to every doctor and rehab appointment himself. Bilbo now loved office politics.

“Is your speech ready?” Thorin let Bilbo maneuver his wheelchair out of the house and into the van, but he himself expertly snapped and clicked in place all of the safety belts needed to secure Bilbo and his chair when he was a passenger. They had had many opportunities for practice with Thorin taking Bilbo everywhere until Bilbo had gotten his license for a modified vehicle.

 “Sort of.” Last year’s party had been rather dismal with Bungo’s death three weeks prior and no news of even who would own the company the coming year. This year’s party came with the promise of meeting the secretive company owner and his future plans for Baggins Industries, Inc. As many employees had gotten to know Bilbo as Bill Took, the new company receptionist recovering from his accident, this would be a shock and a party never to be forgotten. To say that Bilbo was nervous was an understatement.

\----

“Lobnob!” Dis greeted enthusiastically as Thorin escorted his sister directly to their table.

“Hello, Dis. How are…” Lobelia almost lost her fake smile as she realized exactly who the reserved seat next to her was reserved for.

“Lobelia. Otho.” Thorin growled a greeting, somehow looking menacing in his tailored suit and festive tie. Sometimes being over 6 ft. tall came in handy. Dis giggled at all of the formalities as her brother pulled out her chair for her.

“It’s lovely to see you again, Dis.” Otho managed a much more authentic smile. He could manage one; he could and would use his wife as a buffer. He did marry her for her many uses after all.

“I know.” Dis giggled again as she seized Lobelia’s arm and began chatting away about her day at the Ability Center and all of the gossip there. Lobelia downed her cup of wine before looking up to see the overprotective Fili seated next to Dis. When Kili joined Fili, she downed Otho’s cup as well.

“It’s hard to believe it, but I’m seeing it.” Dwalin growled at the next table as he passed a wad of bills to a grinning Nori. Balin merely chuckled as he patted his brother’s arm and turned to Thorin.

“We never thought to see you in a tailored suit, cousin.”

“My other suits are just as suitable as this one.” Thorin would never mention what had happened to force him to wear the charcoal grey suit that Bilbo’s uncle had personally fitted him with.

“Bilbo told Nori about your stubborn contest, and how Bilbo won.” Balin was outright laughing now.  “Something about you called his bluff that wasn’t a bluff.”

“Wish you had mentioned Dis’ new crafting with rags hobby to me.” Dwalin grumbled. He turned to have Nori fill him in on how Bilbo had been horrified at Thorin’s idea of a suit and threatened to use them as dust rags if Thorin insisted on wearing one to the party instead of the “in appropriate good taste” suit from Took’s Fine Menswear.

“They _were_ perfectly good suits.” Thorin ignored the laughter as he turned to see Bilbo settling next to Otho. There wasn’t a head table, but Balin had insisted on a show of support for their new vice president. Thorin didn’t want Bilbo anywhere near the jerk, but Bilbo had shown that he had a mind of his own.

\----

Balin looked around the room as servers began clearing the dessert dishes. It was time for his speech. He went to the DJ stand and took a microphone. With a last look at a nodding Bilbo, he began his speech.

“I know that it became a tradition for Bungo to give his speech about the upcoming year at the end of the party, but we were promised a meeting with the new owner of Baggins Industries. He thought that with bellies full and the promise of dancing fun ahead that this would be a good time. He also thought that having a new employee giving a speech would be appropriate as we enter a new year. So I present our own Bill Took. I think you all can agree as to why he was chosen.”

There were murmurs of agreement and clapping as Bilbo found Thorin wheeling him up next to Balin, to just stand a bit to the side with his arms folded and frowning. Long used to the hovering, and the uselessness of arguing about it, Bilbo took the microphone.

“I…Thanks, Thorin, but I’m fine.” Bilbo managed to swat a hand checking his wheel brake. “Everyone, I’m grateful to Thorin and his family for helping me this past year.” Bilbo smiled as Kili and Fili wolf whistled. Dis nearly tore Lobelia’s arm off as she turned both of them to face the stage. She waved furiously, making Lobelia wave as well. Bilbo waved back at her fake, pained smile with enthusiasm.

“Thorin. Thorin.” Bofur and Bifur were chanting and slapping the table with silverware.

“Take a bow, Thorin.” Bilbo turned and smiled at him.

“No.” Thorin gave his stubbornness glare.

“Doesn’t Thorin look dashing in his new suit?” Bilbo grinned his trickster grin. There were more wolf whistles, mostly from ladies. “Thorin is single, ladies. If you need a date for New Year’s…”

“Speech, Bill.” The growl was clear as Thorin spoke through gritted teeth.

“Right. Ori asked me to be the first speaker for the new employee speech.” Bilbo took a breath and turned his attention on the audience. He couldn’t get used to the view of looking up at the world, but with a shattered pelvis and mangled legs he had no choice these past months.

“I started on the A-9 assembly line, first on 2nd shift, then on 3rd shift. I wasn’t stellar or spectacular, but I did survive Thorin’s micro managing.” Bilbo smiled at Bofur’s cheers. “Then I got stomped on by an SUV.” It became quiet.

“I appreciate everyone who visited me in the hospital and the rehab center the first two months. It was really hard trading the idea of my last university classes for physical therapy to learn to do basics such as dressing and taking a bath.” Bilbo paused. A heavy hand squeezed his shoulder.

“When Balin suggested that I take the part time position of front receptionist, I thought it was out of pity.” Neither Bilbo nor Thorin had returned to 3rd shift. “With all of my appointments I couldn’t work my line anymore. Thorin made out like a bandit, with his new home office. But he earned it with every appointment he took me to.”

Thorin’s doctors had flat out given him orders on how to change his life. No more handling all of the workload himself. No more stress that working odd hours created. Now another engineer worked full time at the plant under him. Thorin had an office at the plant, one at home, and a flexible schedule.

Bilbo’s Took cousins had wanted to take him home to stay with his uncle Hildigrim, but as he had healthcare power of attorney, Thorin had claimed him. With the help of funds courtesy of Baggins Industries, Inc., Thorin was able to move his family from their small bungalow to a large four bedroom rental house with a large back yard. It had plenty of room for Bilbo, Kili and Fili’s new puppies, and Dis’ garden parties with her new friend Lobelia.

“I didn’t know that in that new position I would get to know so many of you here. I’m honored to have met so many of you.”

Working partly on 1st shift and 2nd shift, Bilbo had been forced to end his isolation and gotten to know quite a few of the employees as they went about their daily routines in the office. Balin and Thorin had also insisted that he take lunch in the far lunch room where he met most of the workers out on the production floor. Over the past months Bilbo had begun to see Baggins Industries less as indentured servitude and more as a place full of hardworking, decent people. The six month mark had come and gone unmentioned, but now Bilbo knew he had a decision to announce.

“As to this coming new year with our company, I think it best that the new owner tell you directly.” Bilbo saw all of the nods and calls for agreement. There had been a good amount of resentment from employees left in the dark about the company’s future.

“Kili, if you would be so kind.” Bilbo waved, the signal that the overexcited child had been waiting for. Kili solemnly brought up two crutches and handed them to Bilbo before fleeing back to Fili with embarrassment.

“Bilbo.” Thorin stepped forward. Before today Thorin or a physical therapist had held onto a belt around Bilbo’s waist.

“No. I’ve got this.” Bilbo set the microphone on a stand that the DJ had set up. There was silence as he set his arms in the cuffs of the crutches.

“As the new employee speaker, I’d like to say that things are looking up for our company. Thank you.” Bilbo slowly stood up. Cheers and applause drowned out anything else around him. With a worried Thorin hovering, Bilbo finally spoke.

“And now it’s time to meet the new owner of Baggins Industries, Inc.” The room hushed to whispers.

“I worked hard to be able to stand for several reasons. Important reasons.” Bilbo stopped. He could only take a few steps in therapy, but one day he would walk again. “All of you got to know Bill Took in his wheelchair this last year. I would like you to get to know Bilbo Baggins who is learning much more than how to walk again this coming new year.”

“What?” Bofur looked stunned. Bifur slapped him up the side of the head and spoke.

“Yes, Bifur, you were right. I do resemble my mother.” Bilbo smiled as Bifur gave him a thumb’s up.

“This coming year I will work for a time in each department, learning about this company from those who know it best, all of you. In addition, Otho Baggins will be learning the ropes from Balin, who will be retiring after this coming year. Otho will be vice president while I’m away the following January at university where I’ll be finishing up my last semester of school.”

“You aren’t going…” Thorin now took Bilbo’s elbow in a gentle grip.

“I’m not leaving town, Thorin.” Bilbo ignored his cousin who had stood and was bowing.

“I would like to go on to get my doctoral degree, but as to when and what subject, well…” Bilbo looked out over the crowd. “I’ve gotten generous offers for the company, but I think I’ll get a degree in something that will help this company grow, but I’m in no hurry, as I’m not selling, nor handing it over completely to Otho. Think on it, people, for I’ll be asking your advice next year.”

“What does next year have in store for Baggins Industries, Inc.? Good things, I hope, besides a clueless new owner that needs your help in learning the ropes. I do ask your forgiveness for how I’ve come to you, but it was Bungo’s idea. He said that I was to gain your respect by becoming one of you. I hope that I have.” Bilbo stopped and ducked his head, glad to let Thorin help him back into his wheelchair as a distraction. He couldn’t bear to see the reactions.

“All right, everyone.” The DJ took the microphone. “It’s time to get down and boogie. Let’s have our first request.”  
  
“You did well.” Thorin took the crutches, as Kili was doing his best to impress Theresa with his idea of a waltz as the Macarena played.

“I’ll do better next year.” Bilbo looked out over the crowd from those seated to those dancing to the small groups watching him and whispering. Thorin watched him wear an expression that he had seen on Bungo’s face countless times; these were Bilbo’s people and he would do his best for their sake.

“Of that I’ve no doubt.” Thorin stepped back and watched Bilbo talk with the first group to come up, then another, a smile growing and staying on his face. “You’ll do just fine.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be adding Bilbo's fun filled learning experiences in each department in separate additions to this series. Let me know if you want to see something specific.


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